Before Falling Asleep
by The Misty Elf
Summary: Life is simply a story full of twists. This fully applies to the life of someone named Hermione Granger, especially when a certain Malfoy is somehow involved.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: Everyone knows this, but I'll say it anyway. I don't own anything so far, everything belongs to J. K. Rowling. There, I gave her credit, so don't sue me. 

**Summary**: Hermione/Draco. Hermione now has to face the world ahead. To do so, she has to live a whole new life, which means she has to leave the memories that she cherished dearly, behind, along with the love of her life, and a locket… 

**Author's Note**: This is my first fanfic, and my English sucks (not my 1st language). P.S.: I edited the chapter! I'm so excited! A big warm hand to my two wonderful beta-s -- **Jayne** (AKA Gertie K) and **Carcinya** (go read her story, called Dawn, it's incredible)! They've made me feeling so much more confident about my story. So, please enjoy now. Remember to R&R! 

***

**Before Falling Asleep**

**Prologue**

Every nightmare is a dream that's lost its way.

                                                          -- Anonymous

          With the set off of the faint lights of countless silver stars, the polished dark-blue of the immeasurable sky became more visible. The bright moonlight shone into the world from what seemed like heaven. Filtering through a small window and the azure silky drape hanging from it, the light beam settled on a small bed, shining on the figure sitting in it. She leaned on the wall, firmly holding a white soft pillow in her embrace. 

          The small room was full of white and blue; pallid like her immaculate pale skin, cerulean as her limpid eyes. The young woman watched the blurry moon through the curtain, her favorite decoration in her little bedroom. As if it was a fuse of the past, memories were gushing out all of a sudden from some tiny forgotten corner of her mind. 

          _"I don't know what to say!" her face lit up as she stared at the piece of cloth in her hands, eyes sparkling, speechless with joy._

_            "You don't have to say anything," He turned her around so they were both facing the rosy clouds the sun had left in the sky, squeezing her shoulders lightly with his arm around them. He planted a gentle kiss in her hair, catching the heart-lifting scent within. "I just wanted to see that smile on your face; it says everything I want to hear." _

She bent her knees toward her chest, lowering her head to rest her chin on top of the pillow she was holding, and squeezing it with all her might. Allowing a light sigh to escape from her lips, she pressed her eyes tightly shut. 

          "I knew this would come back to me some day…" She whispered softly as a tear rolled down her right cheek. Then, she inhaled deeply, straightening her body to lie on the bed, eventually drifting into a sleep filled with dreams of the past, the past that never went anywhere…

***

**Author's Note II**: Just in case you are reading my story, I assure you, this is a HP fan fiction, and I HAVE got a plot (thank god). And if you read this chapter, please review, they help a lot. Flames, hmm, I think would be ok too, just don't be too harsh on me. So please REVIEW!!! 


	2. Chapter 1: A Whole New Life

**Disclaimer**: I own only Steven Morris so far, everything and everyone else you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling.   
  
**Summary**: Hermione now has to face the world ahead. To do so, she has to live a whole new life, which means she has to leave the memories that she cherished dearly, behind, along with the love of her life, and a locket…  
  
**Author's Note**: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Even though I've only got 5.   
**The Mean Reviewer**: I think you are right, so now I have a plot :). **bloo****-bubbles**: wow, your praise meant a lot to me, and I'm really glad that you liked it. **hasapi**: thanks for reviewing, and I thought the beginning was kind of interesting too, it doesn't have a plot does it? **Brandi**: thank you! **writagal**: thank you very much, I'm flattered :].   
Btw, the woman in the Prologue IS Hermione Granger, in case anyone hasn't figured that out yet, which I doubt…Again, thanks to my wonderful beta Jayne and Carcinya for the great job they've done! So, here it is, the first chapter. Enjoy! 

***

**Before Falling Asleep**

Chapter 1 -- A Whole New Life

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.

                                                                                      -- Isaac Asimov

          "Malfoy! Pick up the damn phone!" The-kind-of-shouting-that-could-be-heard-daily-at-mental-hospitals shot out from the bed stand next to the king size bed.

          The person on the mattress rolled over, without opening his eyes, dragging a pillow along, intending to cover his head.

          "Leave the pillow alone!" Came the voice, as if watching him closely. "If you don't get your butt over here in five minutes, you can kiss your beloved job goodbye!" With a single click, the other person hung up, leaving the delightful little message on the answering machine.

          Softly groaning, he turned to lie on his back, fighting to open his eyes. He had never been exactly what you would call a morning person. It was now 8:47 in the morning already, and he was still in bed. The bright, joyful sunshine could be seen from the little gaps in between his blind covering the window, causing every inch of skin it warmed to tingle pleasantly.

          Yet, he _did_ have to go to work in the morning. Not that his job started late, he just had always had the habit of being late. And he made sure that none of the meetings would start before 10 o'clock in the morning, so that he would be safe to stay in bed just a bit longer. In fact, he didn't have any meeting scheduled for today.

          He stretched lazily and turned, throwing his legs over the side of the bed, slowly sliding into his midnight blue, furry slippers. He then walked straight to the bathroom to take a quick shower to wake him up. As the hot water hit his pale skin, a new day had officially begun.

          He was putting on the light gray sweater he had just grabbed when the phone rang again. "Oh joy," he mumbled. Pacing from the closet after the phone rang the fourth time, he finally picked it up.

          "Draco Malfoy," he spoke into the receiver professionally.

          One second, two seconds, five seconds had passed, and still, there were no response.

          "Hello?" He said. After another long pause, he eventually hung up.

          That was the third silent call that week, and it was getting rather annoying. He had decided that they were from the same person, but the question was who was that person? As his mind wandered in his own little detective world, he put on a pair of blue, baggy jeans and white sneakers, and then grabbed an orange from the fridge, finally leaving for work.

***

          Draco Malfoy walked into a typical office building with a sign that said "No Boundaries – _so you can fly without wings_" on the outside. He smiled inwardly as he passed by all the formally dressed oh-so-busy white-collars rushing around in the building. He got into an elevator, and pressed the white button that said "2" on it. 

          _Stupid Americans, he thought__, think they are superior do they? But can they afford some decent stairs? 'Course not! _

          With that thought in mind, he stepped out of the elevator, only to discover being merely five inches away from an orange haired man with an irate looking face.

          "Oh, thanks for the wake up call again, Morris," he stated coolly. 

          "Why, I wasn't expecting you so early, Malfoy. It's only," he paused to look at the watch on his right wrist, "fifty eight past nine, not time for lunch yet!" the orange-redhead seemed to be about to explode anytime, like always.

          "Yeah, I made sure that I'd be here before lunch time. I wouldn't want to miss my only break now, would I?" With a smirk, Malfoy turned the corner and disappeared into his office.

          Steve Morris, the reason Draco Malfoy didn't need an alarm clock at home, stared idly at the wooden door with a silver plate that had dark green letters, which read "D. Malfoy", the way the owner had wanted it. Morris had something that he wanted to tell Malfoy, something very important, but what was it? Ah! The light bulb in his head went off. _Oh well, he'll find out soon enough._

          "Morris!" Screaming, the blonde stormed out of this office.

          _Um, that was quick._ Morris laughed mentally to himself.

***

**A/N II**: Yep, I've noticed too, the style in this chapter is very VERY different from the Prologue. (Though the Prologue was more of my type, except I don't think I can tell a story that way, you know what I mean?) So, did you love it? Hate it? Tell me! And do you want it to be continued? Tell me by reviewing! Get the idea? So whatever you think of this chapter, REVIEW!!! Thanks :). I promise the next chapter would be longer! (If it's coming…) 


	3. Chapter 2: After Falling Asleep

**Disclaimer**: I only own Steven Morris and good ol' Ms. Mueller so far, everything and everyone else you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. 

**Summary**: Hermione now has to face the world ahead. To do so, she has to live a whole new life, which means leaving the memories that she cherished dearly, behind, along with the love of her life. But secretly, fate is revealing the hidden past, which ties the two unexpected people together…will she be able to accept the truth and confront her destiny?

**Author's Note**: This chapter's about Hermione. If you want to find out about Draco and what happened in his office, wait 'til the next chapter. :) Oh, I almost forgot *hit my head hard* I'd like to thank **Jenn** and **Alyria** for beta-ing this chapter. They put a lot of effort into this chapter, and are wonderful beta's!  
P.S.: FF.Net had been very annoying yesterday, so I had to take the story off. Sorry if you've already read this chapter.

***

**

Before Falling Asleep

**

Chapter 2 – After Falling Asleep

  
"…it's not because you can't forget, but because you simply don't want to…"   
                                                                                       -- Anonymous  


_          Darkness, pure darkness was all there was. She'd never been to any place so dark. She was scared. She could almost feel herself trembling. Yet, she felt safe, as if she was protected by someone or something powerful protected her; so powerful, that there was nothing to worry about, at all. It was…strange. All of a sudden, she realized that the moon was hanging in the sky, driving away the darkness. She could see her own pale skin, which seemed to be glowing in the dark. She looked down to find a silky white gown on her lithe form. It felt so natural on her body, with the innate scent telling her that it belonged to her and only her. A pleasant breeze whispered in the night air, and she felt her curly hair brushing gently past her shoulders. _

_          Her eyes lifted slowly, and her gaze landed on a heavenly figure far away, standing in a ray of light. He was angelic indeed. His pale blonde hair glowed in the darkness, along with his immaculate skin. Two miniature, opalescent horns were pointing up from the top of his head, adding contradictory hints of evil into the innocent seraph. Two strong, forest green wings extended from his back, showing no signs of feather. A tail of the same color could be seen from behind him._

_          Slowly, she closed the distance between them. As she got closer, his cloudy gray eyes softened, and she found herself melting into the depths of them. He lifted his left hand to touch her cheek lovingly, sending tingles all over her body, and a smile spread on his lips. She raised her right hand to cover his, closing her eyes to lean into his touch and the warmth it brought. A tear traced its way down her cheek…_

Hermione Granger sprang up from her back with a start. Breathing heavily, she regained some sense and thought back to what had just happened. _It was a dream_, she told herself. Or was it; she could still recall the emotions between the two and within herself. _Myself? Where did that come from? _Yet, the event gave her the sense that it was a part of her memory, but she was sure that it was not something she had ever experienced_. So, who were they? And…why did I cry? She thought to her wet pillow and sore eyes. __And the dragon man.__ All she could remember were his eyes, those gray orbs filled with a mixture of hope, comfort, and…love. His touch felt so familiar, yet so distant, as if it were from centuries ago._ I'm thinking too much, it was just a dream after all.__

Trying to convince herself to go back to sleep when she found her clock reading 4:30 A.M. Finally giving up when she realized that it would not happen, she then decided to take a walk in the little garden not far from her apartment; she had seen it before but this would be her first time walking through it. Though it was her fifth year living in the same apartment, she spent most of her time at work, barely having any time at all to enjoy her neighborhood.

          The garden was full of lush green plants and lovely flowers of all seasons from every area, all due to the wonderful work of Ms. Mueller, the owner of the apartments. A narrow cobblestone twisted through the garden, enabling the visitors to enjoy themselves thoroughly without hurting the plants. The garden was charmed so it would be warm even during winter. Hermione took off her cloak, smiling at the thought of the benign, petite, senior witch. _She and Professor Flitwick would make a cute pair. _The sound of music pouring from an unseen source cleared her mind of all thoughts. Walking further into the garden, she found a small fountain in the middle of it, surrounded by countless magnolias, gardenias, tulips, willows, and maples. Looking around, Hermione wondered how the meticulous lady with an immeasurable love for Muggle greenery fit all these beautiful plants in such a small space without making it seem crowded. It was then that she realized, with the reflection of the moonlight, that the water seemed like the silver moonlight itself, slowly pouring out of the center of the jade statute of a lotus, and into the tiny pond beneath it. As the water hit the surface of the pond, the notes of _Moonlight Sonata _by Beethovenflew into Hermione's ears, sinking into her heart. A whiff of delicate fragrance drifted past her, and she fixed her sight on the elegant figure standing in a corner of the pond, where the incense came from. It was…a tuft of narcissus! The gentle breeze caressed its frail body lightly, causing it to waver gracefully with the music. It was so elegant, yet so cold and condescending, with its unique motherly scent, just like her…

          _A tall, blonde woman was holding a narcissus. Hermione saw herself being offered the blossom from the woman, a light smile softening her features. Then she turned around, and said to the pale blonde young man behind her, "Son, you've made the right choice. Now it is time to make it complete." The young man stepped forward, and took a silver chain with a locket hanging on it from his neck. _

_          The locket looked like a silver heart, with dark, thorny green vines enwinding randomly yet stylishly around it. It must be a magical item, for no muggle artisan could have made it – with the vines, the heart looked almost like a not yet fully bloomed narcissus, just like the graceful flower she was holding in her hand._

_          He murmured something to it, of which she did not quite catch, and the vines slowly unwound the heart, drawing back into it, leaving not a trace behind. Then the heart cracked open from the bottom, with the upper part gradually rising, forming two semi-hearts. Then he turned it, so the inside was facing the young lady. She could see his face inside the locket. It was small, but clear, with motions identical to the holder's. He motioned her to take it. She merely mumbled "Th-thank you…" and carefully took it in her palm._

_          The blonde woman spoke up, "I, Narcissa Odovacar Malfoy, hereby declare Hermione Aldora Granger part of the Malfoy family."_

_          Then she walked over to the overwhelmed girl, took her small frame in her arms and kissed her forehead. "And now," she whispered softly, "you may call me mother."_

          "No!" Hermione cried out, "I don't want to remember anymore. Make it stop! Please make it stop." She shook her head violently, trying desperately to drive away the images – but that was no use. Finally breaking down, she sand down onto the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. She sobbed softly, "Make it stop…"

          Pushing away the tears while she tried to calm down, the pale blush in the east caught her attention. She checked her watch: it was 6:43 A.M.; she had lost track of time. Quietly reprimanding herself, she hurried back to her apartment to get ready for work.

***

          Twenty minutes later, a refreshed Hermione Granger apparated into St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, the best hospital in wizarding London. Scratch that, it was one of the best sanatoriums in the world. Being the top mediwitch in Britain and working at one of the best hospitals made her rather proud. Every time she thought about her work, the day would light up more, and all the troubles that were bothering her would fade away. 

          Receiving warm greetings from colleagues on the way, she made it to her office. It was a big room, with a lab area which had the first hand equipments, and a fair number of well trained interns to assist her with the researches she had been working on.

          "Morning, mate!" Kevin Whitby called out playfully. He was one of the assistants who were here to help Hermione. Not exactly an intern, for he had graduated from Hogwarts two years ago, and had been working under Hermione ever since. To her, he was like the little brother she'd never had. He was a Hufflepuff, but in Hermione's opinion, he could have made a perfect Ravenclaw, for he was indeed a bright young man. 

          "Good morning, Kevin." Smiling back, she took the warm coffee mug from his hand, and nodded her thanks.

          The blonde young man then paused to observe Hermione's face. "You didn't sleep well last night, did you? The bags are showing under your eyes." His warm hazel eyes filled with concern. "What happened?"

          "Oh, that was nothing." She waved a hand in the air. "I just needed some coffee, thanks a lot, it's quite delicious." She took a sip for effect. "See, awake and energetic. Don't you worry about…"

          "This is not the first time," he cut in sharply. The facade on her face slowly faded, turning into a frown.

          There was an uncomfortable silence in the room.

          "We can go out for some coffee sometime after work, you know." Kevin suggested.

          "Kevin, I don't recall asking for your advice," she snapped, her frustration getting the better of her. 

          "we should get to work," Hermione said finally, after another awkward hush. That did it. Kevin groaned in response as she sat down in her chair in front of the large desk, and handed him a pile of paper. She felt the sides of her mouth twitching up slightly in relief.

          The two then worked in silence, until Kevin decided to break it. 

          "Hermione," he started carefully, as if afraid of another attack. "you know, a wise man once said: there are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who believe in miracles, and the ones who don't."

          Meeting Hermione's confused gaze, he continued. "Being the admirable mediwitch that you are, obviously you belong to the first group as far as your work is concerned, which is also required for your job. But why can't you take half the faith you have here to your personal life?"

          He paused to collect Hermione's reactions. Seeing none, he kept going. "Maybe I don't know you well enough to say this, but it seems like you're trying to put all your energy into work. I know you love this job, but it appears to me as if you are using it as an escape from the world outside of this building, because you are," he stopped again to look for the appropriate word, "struggling to get away from something out there. Am I right?"

          There was no answer, and he wasn't exactly looking for one, either. 

***

          The day went by peculiarly fast, and Kevin's words had been echoing in Hermione's head repetitively. She had no idea how she got home, whether she had eaten at all, or how she finally made it into her bed.

          She'd known the answer to Kevin's question all along, and she wanted to tell him that he was right. But the usual courage was not in her today. What _was she running away from? Deep inside her heart, was the answer to her own question. However, she dared not reach down to it. _

_          "Why can't you take half the faith you have here to your personal life?"_

          Lying in her bed, staring at the burry shade of the moon through the blue drape, she told herself to sleep. She knew they'd all go away when she was asleep. The confusion, the pain, they were too much to take in all in one day. She had managed to hide it for five years, though she knew well that it would come back someday. But she was not ready yet, not now, she was not prepared at all. At the moment, the only way to seek peace inside her soul was to sleep, and pray that all the trouble would just disappear.

          Little did she know, the more was yet to come, after she had fallen asleep…

***

**Author's Note**: Hello everyone! Thanks to the two people who reviewed, I really appreciated it.  
**Kerbi**: Sorry that the first chapter confused you, and this story will probably be very confusing for quite a few chapters, maybe things won't be exactly cleared up until the end. But I really love the plot, and it is kind of twisted...so hope you'd still keep reading... **fReD AnD GEoRGe WeASleY Are gOdS**: Thank you! I like the plot a lot too! Although it's not showing much right now. And I love cliffhangers myself! :] **Siognee (Kayla)**: I liked the prologue too! I understand that the chapters are very hard to understand…(ugh, I'm being very repetitive). And actually, this is my first, and only story, hehe. **Dreaming One (May)**: *applaud* you are so very right, but don't tell anyone else ;P. I'll try to update soon, it'll happen if I didn't have so much hw *glares at the never-ending list*.  
So um, what did you think of this chapter? I personally liked the dream, and the flashback, and the "talk", and…heck, this is my favorite chapter so far. Now, about the new character.

_Ms. Mueller_: The idea of her came from a teacher from my school who teaches Spanish. Though I don't have her, I'd say she seems to be a really nice lady. And that Prof. Flitwick thing is because she really is tiny; I'd say she's about 4'? She's really small in a cute way. Btw, Mueller IS the last name of the teacher, hehe. (Hopefully she won't get mad at me for using her name…)

_Narcissa Odovacar Malfoy_: Odovacar, ancient Germanic, means "wealthy and vigilant", derived from the Germanic elements _od "wealth" and _wacar_ "vigilant". I just thought it would fit a pureblood, wealthy family. Pronounced : o-do-VAY-kar._

_Hermione Aldora Granger_: The name Aldora connects with the plot, as you'll see later on. But that's not the only reason I chose it—I personally like that name too :).

_Kevin Whitby_: He's not original. If you've read the HP books careful enough, he was actually mentioned in the book. In Goblet of Fire, he was sorted into Hufflepuff. I kind of feel sorry for him, for he also plays a minor part in this story. Oh well, he'll live :^).

Narcissus is my favorite flower, and _Moonlight Sonata_ by Beethoven is my favorite piece of music. 

The part where Kevin talks about miracle and faith was inspired by a quote: _"There are only two ways to live you life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."  -- Albert Einstein_

Ok, now that you are clear about everything (I hope), it's time for REVIEWS! If you've made it THIS far, why not review as well? At least tell me your opinion on it. Thanks! 


	4. Chapter 3: Surprise!

**Disclaimer**: I own Steven Morris, Ms. Mueller, Andrew and Ellen Baldric, everything and everyone else you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. 

**Summary**: Hermione now has to face the world ahead. To do so, she has to live a whole new life, which means she has to leave the memories that she cherished dearly, behind, along with the love of her life. But secretly, fate is revealing the hidden past, which ties the two unexpected people together…will she be able to accept the truth and confront her destiny?

**Author's Note**: Sorry that it took so long to update, but it's almost May! After May, I shall be free! Not really, but yeah. Thank you **Jayne**! You are the best beta! And **Aranel**, the "Brit-picker" + beta, who's just equally wonderful. :) 

***

**Before Falling Asleep**

Chapter 3 – Surprise!

Never fear shadows…that always mean there is a light shining somewhere…  
                                                                                                    -- Jonathan Santos  
  


          "Morris! You wouldn't happen to have any idea about the flowers and coffee in my office, would you?!" The words were barely forced out between Malfoy's tightly clenched teeth. It was obvious that he was trying very hard to keep himself from biting the red head in front of him off its body.

          "Well…um…" For the first time, Steven Morris seemed to be having trouble finding the right words. Morris was not dense, no, he was far from it. But this was his first time seeing the blond lose his temper. Draco Malfoy had always been able to keep his emotions in control for the five years they had known each other; but now, his face, if possible, seemed even paler than usual. _What's going on? Did I miss something? I thought I told her nothing weird is allowed -- but what does he have against flowers and coffee? This certainly is bizarre, and I'd better be careful._

          "Well? So tell me, what's going on here." The color in his face was slowly returning.

          "Actually, I was going to tell you anyway, but too bad you had to be late again." Seeing no difference on Malfoy's face, Morris continued nervously. "To cut a long story short, a young lady came for an interview a couple of weeks ago, and apparently, she has an MBA, and is perfect for the position as a secretary. So, now she is yours!" he finished with a small smile.

          "What do you mean she's mine?"

          "What I mean is that she is now your secretary."

          "Without my knowledge?"

          "You know now."

          "How come I heard nothing of the interview? And when have I ever told you that I needed a secretary? Are you suggesting that I am not doing well enough?" his words shot out like bullets, aimed at Morris.

          "No, all I'm saying is, you seemed like you could use a little help, an—"

          "What do you mean I could 'use a little help'? Do you want me to remind you of why you had to fire all the single women and homosexual young men in this company? Why, when you had to choose between ridding one fourth of the company or me, you kept me? And mind you, someone with an MBA should be my boss, not my secretary!" Draco's face was now turning slightly pink.

          "It's not my fault that you're so goddamn attractive that everyone was distracted from their work! And, damn it, you know very well I could not afford firing you! By the way, the Miss is willing to work for you."

          "Oh, so you are indicating that it's all _my bloody fault that I'm so appealing to them! How abou--"_

          "STOP!" someone yelled at top of her lungs.

          Both men turned, and found themselves facing a young lady.

          "Um, Miss Baldric," Morris started, obviously embarrassed. "Let me introduce you to…"

          "Ellen? What are you doing here?!" Draco's eyes widened, anger disappeared from his face, and was instantly replaced by surprise and confusion.

          "Ah! So you already know each other!" Steven called out in relief.

          "Hullo Draco!" Ellen walked over to Draco with a cheerful smile, while giving an assuring nod in the direction where Steven stood.

          Putting his arms around her small frame lightly as Ellen reached up to hug him, Draco whispered into her ear, "Care to explain?" 

          Seeing this opportunity, Steven quietly left the scene.

          Ellen took Draco's arm, and walked him to his office. "Well, you know that my brother and I are orphans, I just finished school, and he was fired just a couple of days ago," her voice was low and touching, her eyes sparkling with tears. "Now we can't even support ourselves, so I came for the interview, hoping it would change our situation."

          "I'm not buying it." Draco's face showed no emotion change.

          "I gave it a shot." Ellen threw it at him casually, her facial expression turned back to usual.

          "So how come you never told me about the interview? And Andrew never said a word about it either."

          "Oh, I told him not to. I mean, if I got in, I wanted to give you a surprise; if I didn't, I wouldn't want you to hear a word, because it would've been embarrassing." Ellen explained with a grin on her face.

          "So, um, you put the flowers and coffee here?"

          "Why yes. Do you not like them?" The smile on her face grew wider. But Draco seemed to be lost in his own little world.

          "Draco?" she waved a hand in front of his eyes.

          "Huh? Oh! Um, no, of course I do." He smiled lightly. "The flowers are beautiful, and I am in need of some coffee."

          "Thought so, and narcissuses are my favorite flower!"

          There was no reply.

          "Actually," Ellen checked her watch, "it's lunch time already. So you wanna go and grab something?"

          "No, no, you go ahead," Draco replied, something else was clearly on his mind, "I'm not hungry. I'll just stay here and try to catch up with some work."

          "All right then. You sure you don't want anything?" her eyebrows lifted questioningly.

          "Yes, I'm sure." Beaming at her, he added, "Enjoy!"

          Leaving a smile behind, she didn't forget to thank him.

          Finally, he was alone in his office. Sitting in the chair beside the huge window, he stared at the narcissuses Ellen had put on his desk. Slowly, his mind drifted away…

          _"Mother!"___

_          "I understand, son…" her voice trailing off, "I don't even want to imagine how disappointed your father would be when he finds out about this."_

_          "I am sorry, Mother, and please tell Father that." His words were sincere. "I am not worthy of being your son."_

_          "Don't," she choked, "don't say that. Your father and I have been very proud of you. You did the Malfoy name proud." She swallowed the tears, and kept her head high as she forced a smile on her face._

_          "Mother…I…"_

_          She turned her back to him, "Leave, now! Before it's too late!"_

_          "Yes…" He turned his heels. Softly, he thought he heard her saying, "…and don't forget…"_

_          "I won't, Mother," he said to himself. Without looking back one last time, he left the world, where he used to belong, completely behind._

          "And I didn't forget, Mother." Draco said gently to the flowers. They nodded slightly, as if they understood him. He reached to his neck, and pulled out a locket hiding behind the sweater. Letting it rest in his palm, he used his finger tip to trace the outline. A drop of blood dribbled onto the silver heart when his finger met a sharp thorn on the bottle-green vine that enwound the locket. The thorn stayed still, as if laughing at him. _It hurts, doesn't it?_ Yes, his heart was aching from the touch of the old wound. He watched, as more blood dripped from his finger, and he knew his heart was also bleeding. 

***

          "Why him?"

          "Don't you think he is special, in many ways? He is definitely not a simple character."

          "But he's not the only one, is he?"

          "There is a special aura about him that the other suspects don't have. I've known him for almost five years now, but surprisingly, I know for a fact that there's more to him than what he's allowing us to see."

          "So you think he might be 'The One'?"

          "Possibly."

          "OK, I'll do it."

          "You have your own reasons too, don't you?"

          "What?"

          "We both know what I'm talking about."

          Pause.

          "There's always the Love Potion, you know."

          "Brother! You know I don't want it to be forced…"

          "Yeah, it's your call." Another pause. "But you understand that we cannot allow a muggle…"

          "Yes…but--"

          "I've tried for four years to force some magic out of him. And trust me, I have enough evidences to prove that he's not."

          "Oh…"

          "So you understand that I have to do this either way."

          "Yes."

          "No regret?"

          Silence.

          "No regret."

***

          _Knock knock._

          His head jerked up.

          "Come in."

          A red head peeked in from the small gap the door made with long strands of dark red hair falling into a young girl's face. A wide grin on her face, she walked in with her hands behind her back.

          "I see you are done eating," Draco said, his face responding to her grin with a smile.

          "Mm hmm, I had Italian with Andy."

          "Oh. Haven't seen him for a while, how is he?"

          "Pretty good. He says hi, and wanted me to give you this—" She took her hands from behind, and set a brown pint on the desk.

          His eyes brightened up a little, "Haagen-Dazs. He knows me the best."

          "Yep. And he said coffee's your favorite flavor."

          "Right he is." He said cheerfully, not breaking eye contact with the cup containing his favorite ice cream.

          "Oh, and he said he'd call sometime today."

          "It's about time he should call me," he finally lifted his eyes to meet Ellen's, "or I would've thought he threw me out of his head along with the Beetles."

          "He never liked them."

          "Mm hmm." His face said 'whatever'.

          "Ugh."

          "Time to work, my lady."

          She blushed a little, unnoticed by Draco.

          "Hmm…uh, what exactly do you do, Ellen?"

          "Let's see." She picked up a piece of paper, and started reading off the list. "Answering phone calls, making photocopies, delivering messages and mail, organizing the agenda, keeping necessary supplies coming, maintaining contact between you and Steve, kicking admirers out…"

          "Ok, um, great," he cut in. "Does the last one mean you need to keep yourself out too?"

          Blushing furiously, she protested, "That. Was. Not. Funny."

          He only smirked. "So, you have my schedule?"

          "Today's? Tomorrow's?"

          "Both."

          "Basically, you are preparing for the meeting tomorrow morning with the Nike representatives, and you should have your new design ready for it." She said, her eyes not leaving the agenda.

          "That's it?"

          "Yup."

          "So I'd be free for the rest of tomorrow?"

          "If you get the conference down, which means you have to make sure that they agree to adopt your design." She added.

          "What time does it start?"

          Ellen read off the paper, "Ten thirty."

          "In the morning?"

          "They certainly don't work at night."

          His face stated that he was not pleased with the news. "Great…" he groaned.

          "Yeah, well, think of how, um, free you'll be once you are done." She added, hoping it would light him up a bit.

          It didn't seem to help, "Sure."

          "Well, get to work, prince. You have a boss, you know." Changing the topic might help, she thought.

          "I don't have anything to work on."

          "The design for tomorrow?"

          "Done." He seemed very confident.

          "Oh…"

          "Maybe I should go bother Morris." His face showed the boredom that he was feeling as he crossed his arms.

          "Mm hmm." She didn't mind particularly.

          "Can I go home?"

          "I won't tell." She said casually without lifting her eyes from the paper on her desk.

          "Thank you! You are the best."

          "Yeah…" a shade of pink was slowly crawling up Ellen's cheeks.

          "See you tomorrow!" With that, Draco walked out with the ice cream in hand.

***

          "Come on, Malfoy, pick up the phone."

          "Hello Baldric."

          "What took you so long? I just called Ellen, she said you headed home an hour ago, and you _just_ got home?"

          "I walked."

          "What do you mean?"

          "What I mean is, I came home on my own feet."

          "Wha-why?"

          "One needs some exercise everyday."

          "_Six miles…okay, so how've you been?" His voice suddenly sounded cheerful._

          "Funny you should ask, I am doing just fine, even without you asking."

          "Sorry, been busy." The other side stated apologetically. 

          "Oh yeah? And too busy to mention a word about Ellen's job?"

          "She told me not to tell."

          "Would you kindly explain it now?"

          "Well, OK, so she's on a mission…"

          "Oh come on, you'll need to come up with something better to pass me."

          "I tried."__

          "By the way, thanks for the ice cream."

          "Actually, it's from Ellen."

          "Seems like she's more of my sister than she is yours." A grin was forming on Draco's face.

          "You have no idea."

***

**A/N**: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! **Konstantine**: Thanks! **Dreaming One**: Thank you so much for another wonderful review :). **Dierdre**** Puney: Thank you. ****firefly: Thank you for all your help, never got to say that before. **One of Grace**: Glad you liked it, especially the descriptions – I like them too. **Leika****** Senara: yeah…it's pretty confusing now, but things will clear up gradually. And surely I will write more, hehe.******

**B****aldric, **derived from the Germanic elements _bald_ "bold, brave" and _ric_ "power, rule". The Normans introduced this name to Britain. 

Sorry that this chapter's boring and confusing, but I promise everything in this chapter, well mostly everything, will be explained in chapter 7. I have most of my chapters planned out, just need time to write them out. Have I mentioned that I love reviews? Hehehe, now please reviews :).


	5. Chapter 4: Talk Over Coffee

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter & co. and the magical world belong to J. K. Rowling. I have nothing.

  
**Before Falling Asleep**  
Chapter 4 - Talk Over Coffee   
  
_        She stood in the same white toga; beside her was the half-dragon man. Their hands connected, facing the same direction where the moon was gradually rising from the horizon. There was an aura of happiness and love in the air. She watched their mouths moving, enjoying the moment, though could not hear a thing.  
  
        Slowly, she looked away from the luminous moon, and found a figure standing far away behind a graceful willow that had delicate branches dancing with the gentle breeze. She could make out that the figure was of a woman by the outline of the tall, lean body, and long, dark hair, but was not able to see her features of her face clearly. Even so, she could feel the innate rare beauty within and exuding from the stranger.   
  
        She walked closer, wanting to see more clearly of the Beauty. And what was that behind her? Something with an unidentifiable shape. She was getting nearer now, and the eyes were almost visible...She stopped.   
  
        Her gaze was fixed on the mysterious woman's eyes. There was something inside those dark eyes that stopped her, something that frightened her so that she was rooted to the spot. This was emanating darkness like something she'd never seen before. It was...hatred. No, much more than that..._  
  
  
        Hermione's eyes flew open. Another dream. This one seemed to be a continuation of the previous one, only this time, it felt more real, though her vision had been blurry. And, this dream confirmed her prior conjecture that she herself was the woman wearing the white toga. But how was it possible? She had never seen any half-dragon creatures in her life, and did not remember wearing anything toga-like. Despite the confusion, she liked the dream - she had been happy in it, truly happy; it was the first time in quite a while. Her eyebrows scrunched up slightly at the remembrance of the mysterious, stunning woman. She was exquisite. Even though Hermione could not see her clearly, there was something about the stranger that told her the astonishing beauty was not like anything she had ever encountered. It was inebriating, intoxicating; the aura and presence about her would have drawn anyone to her, anyone who dared to come close enough to feel it. But under that striking façade, there was something more about her, something daunting, something deeper than just hatred. Her dark eyes were frightening and cold; so cold that it almost froze the blood inside Hermione. And the piercing stare seemed as if those eyes were sucking the very soul out of her. _It felt even worse than dementors passing by_, she thought with a shiver.   
  
        Pulling her thoughts out of the dream, she realised that her nightgown was wet with cold sweat and her hands were clammy. Now thinking back to it, she wasn't sure whether to consider it a dream or a nightmare; after all, every nightmare was a dream that had lost its way.   
  
        "What time is it?" she spoke to the clock.   
  
        "A quarter past six in the morning, my dear," a gentle voice spoke up from the clock on the side table. "It's the eighteenth of September, by the way, a Thursday."   
  
        "Oh drat!" Hermione jumped up from her bed. "My rent is over due!"   
  
        "Don't worry, darling, I remember you telling me that the landlady, Ms. Mueller, is a very benevolent lady, I suppose she wouldn't mind." The clock tried to comfort her.   
  
        "But how could I forget such a thing? I never have. It feels like..." she frowned, "handing an essay in late."   
  
        This time, the clock decided to be quiet.   
  
        Not minding what the clock thought of her last statement, she gathered herself up to take a shower, and brought some warm clothes with her to put on afterwards. After a glass of orange juice and a piece of toast with jam as breakfast, Hermione took off.   
  
        She wore no makeup, not that she had any to use, anyway. After all these years, she was still a bookworm, a complete dork, as some put it. Her closet was full of jumpers, jeans, and a couple of dull coloured cloaks, no dress pants or miniskirts. Though covered in dust due to the lack of formal meetings in the past few years of her life, she did have some business suits. As far as her style in clothes goes - yes, she did have a "style" - she only looked for comfort and simplicity. Unlike most of the young witches at their glamorous ages, Hermione couldn't care less about her appearance: her lips were always chapped, long eyelashes poking in every direction, the same bushy brown hair though not as frizzy as five years ago. She actually put on reading glasses sometimes, though the wizarding world at the time had already adopted the muggle item - contact lenses. Truth be told, Hermione Granger was nowhere near the word "pretty".   
  
        But for the few who could see through her shell, they saw her clear blue eyes sparkling with knowledge and pride, from the rare inner beauty within. As people had always said, the eyes were windows to one's soul. Only the few who would truly look into her eyes recognized just how beautiful this young woman really was.   
  
        At 7:12AM, Hermione arrived at the flats' Owlery. She was to explain to Ms. Mueller about her late renting fee. Considering the fact that it was probably very rude to come by her house at this time of the day, she decided to owl her instead. Without further thinking, she scribbled down a note on a piece of paper:   
  
  
_**Dear Ms. Mueller,   
  
        I am very sorry that I have not yet paid for my flat this month. If you don't mind, I will go down to Gringotts today, and stop by at around five this afternoon to give you the money.   
  
Sincerely,   
        Hermione**_  
  
  
        Quickly folding the note, she then tied it to the foot of a grey owl that stood in front of her among many others. "Don't go in until you are sure that Mr. Mueller's awake," she told it. The grey owl only hooted sleepily, with its eyes half open, as a response. "You lazy little thing!" Hermione said to it while stroking its back lightly. Then she looked at it once more before she Disapparated for work.   
  


***

  
        She was early -- no one was at the hospital except for the doctors on duty and some nurses. People had apparently been very healthy and safe lately, for there weren't many patients.   
  
        Hermione was sitting at her desk when a tiny brown owl knocked impatiently at the window that she was facing. She recognized it immediately - Pigwidgeon. It has been a while since I've talked to Ron, she thought while quickly walking over with a smile, and slid the window open to let the messenger tumble in. The owl landed clumsily on the desk, where he found some biscuits and a cup of coffee. Without having the slightest bit of worry as to what Hermione would think of his actions, Pigwidgeon started munching on the biscuits, letting his beak drift over to sip on the coffee every once in a while. However, Hermione noticed none of it as she started unfolding the note that had been dropped into her hand. Her smile grew at the sight of her best friend's untamed handwriting. Quietly, she read the note to herself.  
  
  
_Dear Hermione,   
  
        How have you been?   
  
        Haven't talked to you for such a long time, miss you loads. So I was thinking perhaps we could have coffee sometime today, if you aren't busy.   
  
        I've got loads to tell you, but I reckon we'll talk over coffee.   
  
Hope to see you soon,   
                Ron_  
  
  
        "About time we got together again." Hermione's face shone brighter, and she walked over to the desk to write a reply. When she gave it to Pig, the little creature did not seem to want to leave just yet, so she sat down at the desk, with her elbows resting on the desktop and her hands cupping her face, watching patiently as Pig continued to enjoy little chunks of biscuit. The little fellow was a present from Sirius Black to Ron, back in their third year at Hogwarts, when Ron had lost Scabbers. Ron had never said anything nice about Pig, and everyone seemed to think that he did not like him. But Hermione knew better -- just like Scabbers the rat, Pig meant a lot to Ron, though he would never admit it.   
  
        The memories of her own pet, Crookshanks the ginger cat, flooded into her mind, as she watched Pig enjoying himself. Crookshanks had always been close and comfortable around Remus Lupin, and Remus seemed to enjoy his company as well. Moreover, with herself busy after the war with the work that she loved, Hermione could not find time for her beloved cat anymore. Having no other choice, Hermione had sent Crookshanks to live with Remus, so that Remus wouldn't have to be alone during his werewolf times. Though Remus would send pictures of him and Crookshanks every so often, Hermione still missed the shrewd cat's presence. She lifted her eyes and found Pig pecking lightly at her left hand, which was holding the note for Ron.   
  
        "So, you are ready for the flight?" she said while tying the note to his foot.   
  
        The owl hooted anxiously for a "yes", and followed Hermione to the bright window, flapping his wings impatiently. When Hermione opened the window, he took off at once.   
  
        Hermione watched with a smile as the tiny owl disappeared into the blue curtain wobbly, then returned to work with the day set on a lighter tune.   
  


***

  
  
        Hermione sat at a table beside the window in "Cosy", her favourite coffee shop. She sipped on her cappuccino while watching a redhead Apparate across the street. It was Ronald Weasley. A smile crept on her lips. Ron had been her best friend ever since their very first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He looked the same, still thin, but a good deal taller now. As their eyes met, the same old boyish smile brightened up Ron's face; as he walked closer, Hermione noticed for the first time that his freckles had faded quite a bit since Hogwarts. Hermione stood up to welcome him, and received a silent hug from the young man who was obviously overwhelmed with joy. Once they both sat down, Ron found it impossible to close his mouth.   
  
        "Hermione! Gee, it's been, what, TWO WEEKS since we've talked. Missed you so much! How have you been? Good god, you look exhausted. How's work? Made any progress in your research? Oh right, I saw the paper with that cancer article. CONGRATULATIONS! I was so happy to see the note that Pig brought back from you, I thought, finally, she's willing to put her work aside for once. I felt special, really. Oh Hermione, you've lost weight! You know, it's bad to be too thin. Oh, I should have brought the cupcakes Mum made, you ought to like them! Did I tell you that Pig hit a flagpole again last week? Apparently, he's okay now. That stupid little thing, he's eating a lot more than he can digest again?   
  
        Hermione only watched with a huge grin as Ron kept on talking. She had almost forgotten how good it felt to be with her friend. For the first time in quite a while, she felt free, relaxed. Now she could laugh, and truly mean it. And she knew now when she smiled, her heart would do the same.   
  
        "I've missed you so much, Ron," she said softly. Her words went through the thick aroma in the air, and made their way into Ron's ears clearly.   
  
        Ron's face became sober, and shone her a slightly embarrassed smile, "I missed you too, Hermione."   
  
        "I miss the old days..."   
  
        "I know. Wish Harry were still here."   
  
        Hermione's face froze. "Ron, I know he is still here. He is still with us, Ron." Her eyes determined, and Ron was moved by the passion within those sapphire orbs.   
  
        "Hermione....I understand how you feel, but it's been five years, and...."   
  
        "But they still haven't found his body yet, have they? Look, Harry has survived Voldemort before, and he can do it again. In fact, I _know_ he did it again. I _know_ he's still with us-"   
  
        "People saw their final battle. After the flash of light, they were both gone. We haven't got You-Know-Who's body either, but we all know for a fact that he is gone. It's the same case for Harry."   
  
        "No you do not know that, Ron! Don't be so sure about everything they tell you. Think for yourself, would you?"   
  
        "Hermione," his face grew serious, "I know everyone thinks of me as insensitive, including you;" he looked down, "but I'm not. I understand how you feel, I want Harry back just as bad; but let's face it; we haven't a chance against death. I'm not just saying this because it is the right thing to say, I'm also saying it because," he drew a breath in, and slowly let it out, "I care, I care for you." His face slowly turned pink, hiding the not-so-obvious freckles altogether.   
  
        Ron waited for a while to calm himself, then continued quietly.   
  
        "I-, I know that I've never been on the list." Ron turned his eyes to the window. "First there was Krum, and then Harry, but the most unexpected and unacceptable was Malf-" Suddenly noticing Hermione's eyes, he paused for a second, and continued, his voice almost inaudible, "I had always been in the shadow, invisible to you, but I didn't mind - it was enough for me. Of course, that's just the past." He adjusted his posture to sit up straight while his face cooled down from being burning red, seemingly a bit more confident about himself. "Now that I've moved on, and finally married to another wonderful woman, I am truly happy. But I still care for you, Hermione, you are my best friend in this world, and I want nothing less than happiness for you." He finally looked up to meet with Hermione's eyes, "I hope you understand."   
  
        It was amazing how Ron had changed over the years, now he could easily express his own feelings and past openly without passing out. Hermione gave a weak smile, and Ron continued.   
  
        "Now, both Harry and Mal-" He stumbled at the name, remembering the effect it had on his friend, "are gone, maybe you should start to look for something else in someone else."   
  
        When Ron finally looked up, Hermione was staring out the window, but he knew she was still listening to every word he was saying.   
  
        "Hermione, you are the most amazing person I have ever known, and I am sure that there's someone out there, who is perfect for you. So why not relax a little, and try looking for that someone."   
  
        Looking back at her friend with an expression of unintended blankness, she spoke in a firm tone. "Ron, I think you've always misunderstood me. I had a crush on Harry, yes. But I was well over it a long time ago. He's just one my best friends, like you, who I cannot let go of. I couldn't bear losing any of you. And I know that Harry isn't gone, I know he's still here with us. I can just _feel_ it."   
  
        Ron looked at Hermione with concern and let out a deep sigh of loose frustration. "Sometimes, you have to let go of certain things. You still have your own life to live, even after I'm gone; Merlin knows when that'll happen..."   
  
        "Ronald! Don't you _dare_ saying anything of the sort again! As long as I have one breath left, I will make sure that you are safe, sound, and breathing!" Hermione's hands were pressing on the coffee table nervously.   
  
        A small smirk flashed on Ron's face. "I'll keep you company even only as a ghost." Hermione had her mouth open instantly, but Ron waved a hand to stop her from saying anything. Hermione could see the grin in his eyes that he was trying to conceal.   
  
        They stayed quiet for a little while, sipping on their drinks. People were talking quietly in the coffee shop around them. It was a perfect day. The sun was shining brilliantly, bringing the cloudless azure sky onto the stage. Due to the fact that it was already autumn, the sky seemed unusually far away, even more out of reach than it ever had been before. It was warm; the sunshine tickled Hermione's heart lazily through the glass she was facing. Everyone on the street was dressed up, ready to take on the burden of an autumn fashion show at anytime; Hermione, however, thought it ridiculous to dress up at all - what was the point of wearing something that you couldn't walk in, to walk on the streets and pretend to be a celebrity? For her, comfort was the most important, and those fashion clothes were merely a waste of money, when simple slacks and sweaters could do a better job for much less spending.   
  
        "Hermione, are you ready to talk about you-know-who?" It was almost a whisper.   
  
        Hermione turned to look at Ron, showing him her confusion.   
  
        "Not _the_ You-Know-Who, but the one you haven't talked about for five years now," Ron said carefully. Seeing he wasn't getting a response, he hesitated a bit when adding, "The Ferret Boy."   
  
        There was a determined indifference on her face. Still, Ron Weasley knew the painful battle that went on underneath the façade. He knew better than further questioning, but what else could they talk about? He had hoped that this would be the day his friend let out all her long kept emotions, and start to live a life that she deserved, with his help. _I still have a long way to go_. He thought bitterly.   
  
        _I had something that I wanted to tell her. Now, what was it?_   
  
        "Oh! I almost forgot!"   
  
        "Hmm?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, questioningly.   
  
        "Have you any plans for tomorrow?" Ron finally asked, anxious for an answer, which he anticipated to be "no".   
  
        "I...don't think so. Why?"   
  
        "Nothing, really. Thought you could take a day off and come over for dinner at the Burrow. Mum misses you a lot." Ron tried very hard to act casual: luckily, Hermione had too much on her mind to notice.   
  
        "Sure, sounds great." She flashed him a smile.   
  
        With farewells, they parted, leaving Hermione deep in thought for the rest of the day.   
  


***

  
        _Sounds like there are people walking in my room._   
  
        People walking in my room!   
  
        Completely void of all sleepiness, Hermione sprang up from her bed, and jumped onto the floor.   
  
        "Happy birthday to you,   
  
        Happy birthday to you,   
  
        Happy birthday dear Hermioneeeeeeee,   
  
        Happy birthday to you!"   
  
        With the last note as a cue, her room was suddenly filled with bright light and a swirl of cheerful, friendly, familiar faces. She wanted to scream. And she did.   
  
        "DAMN IT, PEOPLE, I'M NOT EVEN BLOODY DRESSED YET!"   
  
        However, the delight in her voice gave her away, and everyone gathered around her for a group hug - something Hermione absolutely dreaded, as she was on the brink of being suffocated. After what seemed to Hermione as eternity, everyone backed away, leaving Hermione in the centre with her pathetic pyjamas. Trying hard to let as much air into her lungs as possible, she slowly straightened up with a grin on her face to face a room of redheads, and a few who did not particularly fit in.   
  
        "Happy twenty-third birthday!" the crowd shouted at once.   
  
        "How did all of you remember! I forgot myself!" Though still panting, her voice was filled with surprise and happiness.   
  
        "How could we forget?"   
  
        "How dare you ever think we'd forget?"   
  
        "How in the world could you think we'd miss this perfect once-a-year opportunity to pick on you?"   
  
        Mountains of complaints came all at once, overwhelming the extremely pleased Hermione.   
  
        "Gods, I love you all so much!" she claimed, with her hands thrown in the air.   
  
        "Of course you do!" Ron walked towards her to give her a little hug.   
  
        A bundle of dark fire came toward them with lightning speed, and squeezed itself between Ron and Hermione. "Ron is still my husband even though today is your birthday! Don't get too comfortable around here." The sly face under the fire said with a smirk.   
  
        Everyone started laughing as everyone watched Ron slowly being filled up with red steam from the base of his neck to the top of his head.   
  
        "Estelle, stop!" gasping for air between fits of laughter, Hermione said to the delicate woman. "Your husband's h-head's going to b-b-blow!"   
  
        Indeed, there was now no way to tell Ron's face apart from his hair. "Calm down, honey," the dark haired woman said, "you and Granger can snuggle all you want, just as long as you don't get your pretty head exploded." She smiled sweetly as everyone started laughing again.   
  
        "Estelle, your skills have far surpassed that of Fred and George." Someone decided to encourage her.   
  
        Her eyes shone brighter at the comment under the raven hair. "Why, thank you very much! I do believe I've proven myself worthy of their fabulous tutelage."   
  
        "Unlikely! Who said that?" Fred was alarmed.   
  
        "Show yourself!" George followed.   
  
        The twins stepped forward to the centre of attention, searching the crowd with bulblike eyes and pursed lips, looked ready to attack.   
  
        "Oh come off of it, you two," Hermione spoke up, "try to act your age, will you?"   
  
        Fred and George knew better than to protest, but whispered something about Hermione resembling their mother.   
  
        The room was noisy, and the air was getting thick, with what smelled like cake and sweets. Apparently, most of the Weasley children, along with their families and some fellow Hogwarts graduates, wanted to throw Hermione a birthday party. However, it was a bit too early for Hermione.   
  
        Then, the telephone rang. Most of the guests were used to, or had used a telephone before; therefore, it was not a big deal for them. Hermione squeezed herself through them to get to the 'phone, and picked it up.   
  
        "Hermione Granger speaking."   
  
        "Honey? Are you up yet?" Mrs. Granger's voice was on the other end of the line.   
  
        "Mum?" Hermione was surprised. Though she only set up the phone to be able to communicate with her parents, they never called at this early hour before.   
  
        "Yes, it's me. How is everything?"   
  
        "Fine, mum." Hermione had to speak up to make sure that she was heard over the other noises in the room.   
  
        "Who else is there?" Apparently, Mrs. Granger heard the others too.   
  
        "Just some friends. Apparently, they remembered my birthday when I forgot it myself."   
  
        "Oh, that's very kind of them. Thank them for me, please."   
  
        "Sure."   
  
        "Sweetheart, your father and I were just thinking that you should take the day off of work and come over for the day, and we could think of something to do."   
  
        "Mum, I'm planning on going today still. Also, Ron's parents asked me to go to the Burrow for dinner, and I already accepted their offer yesterday..."   
  
        "Oh I see. Don't worry about it, just come over after dinner, and stay at home for the night then."   
  
        "Sure. I'll do that."   
  
        "Oh and, say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for me."   
  
        "I will, mum."   
  
        "Bye, sweetheart. Enjoy your day, I'll see you tonight."   
  
        "Bye mum."   
  
        With that, they hung up.   
  
        "You're still going to work today? You crazy woman!" Estelle waited until Hermione turned around to face them.   
  
        "Yes. Birthday is not a big deal. I've had twenty-two of them, and it won't hurt to miss one. Plus, we are going to celebrate at the Burrow tonight. It'll be more than good enough for me." Hermione replied with a smile.   
  
        Several others started to protest, and Hermione just waved both hands in the air. "I'm going to work today. End of discussion. Thanks to everyone for this wonderful, um, morning. I've got to hurry up before I'm late for work!"   
  
        And so, the surprise morning ended with Hermione leaving the flat with everyone else.   
  
  
**Author's Note**: I finally updated! Oops, forgot what else I was going to say. Anyway, thanks to all my readers, who dared to bear with me and read on. Then, there are my wonderful wonderful beta-s, Amanda and WitchDruid who did a fantastic job. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this chapter :]. 


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